# catathesis

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Downstep or downdrift, particularly in non-tonal languages such as Japanese and English.

## Etymology
By surface analysis, cata- + thesis. Coined by Michael Studdert-Kennedy.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/catathesis